Hightstown officials have a scheduled a lighting ceremony Friday evening to usher in the holiday season with the new decorations. We urge them to reconsider and heed the advice of the town’s historical commissioners, who have resigned in opposition to the frivolous treatment.

Decking the stately monument in festive lights may be well-intentioned, but it is inappropriate.

The monument stands in honor of the East Windsor soldiers who went off to fight in the bloodiest war in U.S. history. They “gave their lives as a sacrifice to their country and humanity,” spell out the raised stone letters. The simple marker, topped by a vigilant eagle, bears their names and the thanks of their “grateful fellow citizens.”

It is a dignified and stark reminder of courage and commitment to a cause that must have stirred the souls of those young men. It stands as a reminder of all we owe to those brave soldiers who have always answered their country’s call.

All this time after the Civil War and the preservation of the Union, the immediacy of their flesh and blood sacrifice has dimmed. Grief that 150 years ago was sharp as a dagger has softened into history.

That’s why we have monuments such as the one in Hightstown — and the one in Mercer County Park in honor of those who perished on 9/11. They are a tribute and a reminder, places for contemplation and reflection and not the jolly dazzle of holiday glow.

No one would argue that festooning 9/11 monuments or the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., would be appropriate. Neither is gussying up the Civil War marker. It would be an affront to its solemnity and the dignity of those it memorializes.

If Hightstown officials wish to dress up that part of town, there are plenty of trees near the monument that would wear the holiday lights well.

The only holiday that is an appropriate time for trimming the monument is Memorial Day — once known as Decoration Day. Flags and memorial wreaths are appropriate; a drapery of merry lights is not.